In elementary school, I wanted to follow in my parentsÃ¢Â€Â™ footsteps and
grow up to be a doctor. But in high school, shocked with the
dissection of my first frog in biology, I vowed to make money, and
where else would the path lead but to businessÃ¢Â€Â”preferably, as the boss
of my own enterprise.

I have always loved math and English, the sciences and the humanities,
equally, and at the college crossroads, I had an excruciating time
debating upon which to expend my energies. A counselor remarked that
not possessing a literature degree would not stop me from immersing
myself in great works, but that the abstractions of advanced math
would probably require mentorship. Of course at the back of my mind
there was always the thought that math would open doors to
multinational corporations, banks, and ultimatelyÃ¢Â€Â”my own business. To
ensure that I did not lose my enthusiasm for the arts, I chose Ateneo,
and happily immersed myself in philosophy, theology, and the classics,
amidst abstract algebra, number theory, and finite geometry. I decided
to join a transnational firm after graduation, work there for a couple
of years, and set up my own company.

But fateÃ¢Â€Â”God!Ã¢Â€Â”intervened. In senior year, during my theology oral
exam, Fr. Asandas Balchand, S. J. bluntly inquired as to my plans.
Then he urged, “I think you should teach for a bit. Give back to the
school.” My next class happened to be graph theory, and after an oral
presentation, Dr. Marijo Ruiz, herself a Metrobank Outstanding Teacher
awardee, smilingly said, Ã¢Â€ÂœYour discussion was clear and thorough. You
should think about teaching.Ã¢Â€Â

Two invitations to teach in a day! Yes, God often works in mysterious
ways, but sometimes it does not take a genius to figure out His call.
FineÃ¢Â€Â”I would teach in Ateneo for a yearÃ¢Â€Â”and after that, start earning!

During the final judging phase of the Metrobank Search last July, I
was struck by Education Secretary de JesusÃ¢Â€Â™ question: “Why do you
think teachers today are not as respected?” At that time I argued that
never in my career did I meet with disrespect. On the contrary, I
claimed, every time I gave a seminar or spoke on air, my ideas seemed
to be taken seriously, and parents, businesspeople, and students alike
would seek my advice. However, after much reflection, I realized that
there was truth to the query. When I first decided to teach, some
people wondered why I was wasting my efforts on such an inglorious
profession.

BUT…studentsÃ¢Â€Â™ eyes would light up after a difficultÃ¢Â€Â”albeit
rewardingÃ¢Â€Â”calculus session. They would ask for exercises beyond
homework requirements, and exclaim that math was after all, quite
enjoyable. At the end of the semester computer science majors
serenaded me with melodies of thanks, accompanied by guitars and
flutes. Moreover, kids poured out their heartachesÃ¢Â€Â”about parents on
the verge of separation, sweethearts caught in betrayal, lives
seemingly without purpose. More often than not I could only remain
silent, for what these not-quite-children-not-quite-adults needed most
was empathy, and concern, and time.

So how could I leave after a year? After two years? After five years?
That was 1987, and I am still here. All 12 of us are still here.
Because in teaching we have received so much. We have been rewarded
more than we have given away. In a world where finance and power rule,
our lives have oft been plagued with frustration and doubt; but in
this same world sorely lacking in ideals and compassion, our lives
have also been illumined by faith, hope and love.

Where else but in teaching would we learn to be creative ourselves?
Not content to specialize solely in Filipino, Mrs. Marilou Yogyog
designs indigenized instructional materials in folk dance, and trains
athletes in table tennis, track and field, and softball, who have won
honors for her school. Venturing beyond the classroom, Dr. Samuel
Soliven, once dubbed the Ã¢Â€ÂœBatang KaingeroÃ¢Â€Â because of his humble
origins, took his class to the airwaves, hosting a School-on-the-Air
at DWRN Bayombong, where he taught science and technology in the
vernacular. Though the subject Rizal is often deemed trite and boring,
Dr. Sonia Daquila analyzed philosophical, psychological, and social
contexts, and changed studentsÃ¢Â€Â™ and educatorsÃ¢Â€Â™ perceptions in Bacolod.

Where else but in teaching could we make a difference in young
peopleÃ¢Â€Â™s lives? When Mrs. Ma. Luisa GibraltarÃ¢Â€Â™s pupil feared going
home to a father who beat him, she welcomed him into her own home, and
had a heart-to-heart talk with the parents, lovingly advising them to
care for their son and to treat him with respect. Though her specialty
was research, Dr. Evelyn Sorolla founded the Ã¢Â€ÂœBalik-Paaralan Para sa
Out of School Adults Program,Ã¢Â€Â and inspired less privileged adults to
return to the academe, finish high school, uplift their dignity and
become productive members of the community. As for Dr. Jaime An Lim,
who declared, Ã¢Â€ÂœI did not choose teaching; teaching chose me,Ã¢Â€Â he was
destined to be a teacher. First and Second grades in his old school
used to share the same classroom, the same teacher, the same class
period. While the teacher was handling the first graders, he would
teach his classmates how to read. He says, Ã¢Â€ÂœAn open book on my lap, a
finger moving from word to word, I patiently guided them through a
reading passage.Ã¢Â€Â Dr. An-Lim was seven years old then.

Most of all, where else but in teaching, could we have received so
much unconditional affection, respect and love in return? When Mrs.
Lourma PoculanÃ¢Â€Â™s former Grade 3 student got married, she was the emcee
during the reception. The brideÃ¢Â€Â™s mother confided that all these years
her daughter had been admiring the way her teacher spoke. Another
little boy wanted to marry her when he grew up. When Mrs. Dahlia
Fabillar witnesses her former students, among them a mayor of their
town, a professor at a university, and a vice-president of a big firm,
she cannot help but feel pride, for they are proof of the success of
her mission.

Perhaps Mr. Renato Carvajal, with whom I am proud to share the same
campus, sums it up best. He was a barefoot schoolboy from La Union,
the son of a janitor. He was a pandesal vendor at 6, a shoe shine boy
at 8, a sacristan at 10, and a teacher at 19. He says, Ã¢Â€ÂœThere is no
wasted time in teaching. I always go home tired but not burned out,
spent but not weighted down, emptied but still looking forward to
giving more the next day. All my school days give me a good nightÃ¢Â€Â™s
sleep, and I would not exchange teaching for any other job in the
world. Every school day, well spent, is already a reward in itself.Ã¢Â€Â

Past Metrobank Awardees would humbly state that they accept this honor
on behalf of the unsung public and private school heroes of our land.
And they would be right. They would also acknowledge that they were
the lucky onesÃ¢Â€Â”we were the lucky onesÃ¢Â€Â”the ones with supportive
administrations, encouraging colleagues, motivated students. In the
words of my friend Dr. Ricky Abad, Awardee two years ago, Ã¢Â€ÂœWe are
blessed that we come from schools and homes that keep the torches of
our teaching flame aglow in our increasingly naughty, naughty world.Ã¢Â€Â
And again they would be right.

These heroes exist. I know, for I have met one of them. Let us call
her Zeny.

Zeny was a high school math teacher down south, and a scholar of the
Department of Education. She never dreamed of setting foot in the
Ateneo, and when confronted by state-of-the-art computers and
laboratories, at first she feared even touching them, so awed was she
by such display.

For Zeny came from a place impoverished. In our psychology of teaching
class, we discussed MaslowÃ¢Â€Â™s hierarchy of needs and what teachers
could do to address them. But unlike the textbook, we could not take
the most basic needs for granted, for ZenyÃ¢Â€Â™s students often came to
school hungry and tired, having worked alongside their parents most of
the night without nary a snack. How could they even concentrate on
algebra? In class when we harnessed the power of multimedia, Zeny
would dutifully participate, but the most advanced equipment her
school had was one single microscopeÃ¢Â€Â”kept behind hallowed glass panes
in the principalÃ¢Â€Â™s office, to be taken down only for the benefit of
visitors. Blackouts were frequent, and Zeny believed that even if
computer donations would come (as they were promised), these would be
useless unless electric flow was unimpeded. Worst of all, often there
would only be less than 5 math books in a class of 80 students. How
could children learn without books?

So Zeny did what she had to do. Out of her salary, she would pay for
the xeroxing of exercises for the whole class. Out of what remained
she would buy pan de sal and margarine for her starving students. In a
country where everything was publicized, where every construction
project had emblazoned on it the names of officials and every building
the names of donors, Zeny did her good work anonymously. Not even her
own students knew that their snacks and practice sets came out of her
pocket.

I asked her how she could afford to do so. “I am single,” she smiled,
“and my parents are no longer here. My siblings are married. I donÃ¢Â€Â™t
need a lot. How can I teach if my students are hungry and have no
books?”

I wanted to write about Zeny in my column, but after some thought, she
told me not to do so. Having such poor facilities would embarrass her
school, and she didnÃ¢Â€Â™t want to cause any trouble. She was also certain
that hers were not the only heroic deeds, and that many teachers
across the nation were creatively coping in their own ways. I am sure
she is right. And—if her school could command such loyalty from its
teachers, then maybe it was also doing something right.

I promised Zeny not to reveal her real name or the name of her school,
and I have kept that promise. But tonight, of all nights, with
outstanding teachers as the theme, how could we not honor her? This
award is for you, Zeny, and all other teachers like you.

Our heartfelt thanks to the Metrobank Foundation, and to Metropolitan
Bank and Trust Company itself, especially Chairman George Ty, who by
making possible this recognition, has inspired and continues to
inspire teachers to do their best. To the judges, in the preliminary,
semi-final and final rounds, who painstakingly pored over documents
and patiently listened to what we had to say, thank you for making the
process memorableÃ¢Â€Â”and I daresayÃ¢Â€Â”quite fun. Our gratitude to our
schools, mentors, and colleaguesÃ¢Â€Â”in my case, Immaculate Conception
Academy in elementary and high school, and now the institution in
which I have spent half my lifeÃ¢Â€Â”the Ateneo de Manila, especially the
mathematics and psychology community, serendipitously enough
represented here tonight by our schoolÃ¢Â€Â™s top officers—Fr. Ben Nebres,
S. J. and Dr. Miren Intal, who are not only my bosses, but advisers
and friends as wellÃ¢Â€Â”Fr. Ben whose problem solving abilities I learned
from and put to good use during the semifinal teaching demo, and Dr.
Miren whose whole-hearted encouragement supported me throughout this
entire process. I would also like to thank Fr. Dan McNamara, Dr. Jose
Marasigan, Dr. Honey Carandang, and the late Dr. Doreen Fernandez Ã¢Â€Â“
all great teachers, great colleagues, great friends.

To our students, thank you and may you continue in your journey with
us in critical thinking, perseverance, and service to others. We
promise to be there for you, and to guide you the best we can. Our
never-ending thanks go to our families and friendsÃ¢Â€Â”my father William,
my husband Smith, my brother Garrick, my sister Portia, my son
Scott—whose sacrifices have made it possible for us to stay in a
profession we love. And to Almighty God, to You, as always, be the
glory.

In return, all of us promise that we will continue to nurture every
student we are privileged to have been given, to guide them to
discover and uncover their potential, to shape them as citizens our
nation will be proud of. We recognize that to us, much has been given,
and from us, much more is expected. Is it fruitless to be Ã¢Â€Âœjust a
teacherÃ¢Â€Â? Not according to the one whom I hold dearest in the worldÃ¢Â€Â”my
five-year-old boy, who would introduce me to friends as, Ã¢Â€ÂœMy mommy is
a teacher! I am so proud of Mommy!Ã¢Â€Â We are all proudÃ¢Â€Â”so proud and
honoredÃ¢Â€Â”to be teachers.

Earlier I confessed that I had never dreamed of becoming a teacher.
But that might not be totally true. My mother Dr. Anita Ngo graduated
at the top of her class in UP medical school, and to the consternation
of her batchmates, after volunteer work in PGH, she decided not to
pursue a career and instead devote her efforts to her family. What a
waste of talent, they said. Sounds familiar? But what everyone did not
realize was that she was my firstÃ¢Â€Â”and my bestÃ¢Â€Â”teacher, and
subconsciously, her example, her brilliance, her dedication throughout
the formative decades of my life must have molded me in ways I was not
aware of. Without my mother, I would not be in front of you now. Mom,
I miss you a lot, but tonight, I know you are here. I dedicate my
award to you.

lots of students
problems because of few resources
frustrating to be a teacher and not be able to teach properly
what's holding them back?
you want to be able to teach better
you want to be able to get the message across
because the worst thing you can face each day is a classroom of bored, unmotivated, uninterested students who aren't learning
and it's painful to check exams and see a lot of failing marks
it hurts because you feel inadequate. you're not getting the job done.

if it's just a living
if the results of their teaching are good
other people will notice
there is a direct benefit
if they perform better in future classes

if we teach well the first time around, less need for reteaching
good recommendation letters
develop creativity and problem-solving (for teachers)

Guided Lecture: Students listen to 15-20 minutes of lecture without taking notes. At the end, they spend five minutes recording all they can recall. The next step involves learners in small discussion groups reconstructing the lecture conceptually with supporting data, preparing complete lecture notes, using the instructor to resolve questions that arise.

Immediate Mastery Quiz: When a regular immediate mastery test is included in the last few minutes of the period, learners retain almost twice as much material, both factual and conceptual.

Individual Task With Review: Problems to solve that apply the concepts presented. Students complete a worksheet or other task and compare the results with their neighbors before the whole class discusses the answers.

Construction Spiral: Ask a sequence of questions, beginning at a reflex level, in a three-step learning cycleâ€”(1) individual writing for 3-5 minutes, (2) small group sharing in trios or pairs, and (3) whole class, non-evaluative compilation. Used to construct understandings and concepts.

Peer Teaching: By explaining conceptual relationships to others, tutors define their own understanding.

– Question Pairsâ€”learners prepare for class by reading an assignment and generating questions focused on the major points or issues raised. At the next class meeting pairs are randomly assigned. Partners alternately ask questions of each other and provide corrective feedback as necessary.

– Learning Cellsâ€”Each learner reads different selections and then teaches the essence of the material to his or her randomly assigned partner.

“Learning Links Center for Alternative Education, an NGO with SEC Reg.
No. A20000-8543 housed at Stalls 7 and 8 Sanvil Center, Katipunan
Avenue, was founded by Ateneo alumni in the year 2000. Its mission is
to help 7 to 14 year old Katipunan street kids and at-risk children
get access to supplementary educational activities so they can achieve
their fullest potentials and integrate more easily into mainstream
society.

Currently, Learning Links is in need of volunteers who can join their
twice-a-month Saturday afternoon Ate-Kuya program. Volunteers will
have the opportunity to share around two to three hours of their time
per session with a group of kids – swapping stories, playing games,
engaging in creative tasks or taking a stroll in the Ateneo campus
-and act as buddies or even role models to these little ones.